Quetta: The crash of a Pakistani Army helicopter in Balochistan yesterday, which killed a Corps Commander and 5 other military officers and personnel, was not an accident but was caused by an attack by Baloch rebels, according to an outfit of freedom fighters which claimed responsibility for it.
Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an organisation fighting for liberation of Balochistan from Pakistan, said the helicopter was targeted by its fighters when it was flying low in a mountainous area between Windar and Noorani in Balochistan.
Earlier, Pakistani military spokesperson DG ISPR had tweeted that the helicopter crashed “due to bad weather as per initial investigations”.
It had said the Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter lost contact with ATC when it was on flood relief operations in Lasbela area of Balochistan.
“The wreckage of unfortunate hel(icopter) which was on flood relief ops found in Musa Goth, Windar, Lasbela. All 6 offrs & sldrs incl Lt Gen Sarfaraz Ali embraced shahadat,” the DG ISPR said in a follow-up tweet posted along with the photographs of all the 6 killed.
Contradicting this theory, BRAS spokesperson Baloch Khan said the low-flying helicopter “of the enemy forces” was spotted and targeted by fighters of his outfit with anti-aircraft guns.
“In the attack, carried out with anti-aircraft guns, the helicopter was badly damaged and later completely destroyed after it crashed near Moosa Goth,” Khan said in a statement to the media.
“All six enemy personnel onboard the flight were killed in the attack,” he added.
The killed included Commander 12 Corps Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali, Director General Coast Guard Major General Amjad, Brigadier Khalid, pilot Major Saeed, co-pilot Talha and crew chief Naik Muddasir.
Khan said, “Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali remained the Director General of Military Intelligence and Inspector General of Frontier Corps South in Balochistan. He was directly involved in enforced disappearances and the Baloch genocide.”
The Baloch fighters successfully reached their secure locations after the attack, the spokesperson said, adding, “Accepting responsibility for the attack was delayed to ensure protection of the Baloch freedom fighters.”
Baloch Khan added that Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar will continue to carry lethal attacks against the enemy until the full withdrawal of the enemy forces and the liberation of Baloch motherland.
